Students from Toronto Seventh-day Adventist School “shone brightly” as they led the Sabbath program at Hillview church (NSW) recently.
Despite the possibility of the primary school’s closure last year due to low enrolments, they have seen significant improvement in numbers. A new vision and the dedicated efforts of teacher Celia Moncrieff were acknowledged and thanked for this turnaround. Persistent prayer and hard work were notable factors contributing to the school’s development and increase in enrolments.
“Celia Moncrieff is one in a million, the sort of teacher every student remembers as being so special when they have grown up,” Hillview church member Mary Fedorow said.
The Sabbath program featured a variety of musical performances and highlighted the essential role of music and the Bible in the school’s curriculum.
“Music is essential for brain development,” Miss Moncrieff said.
The program opened with pre-kindergarten students playing a bell choir piece, followed by performances on stringed instruments by the primary students. Music teacher Leticia Campbell praised the children for their significant progress since the beginning of the year, noting their polished performance which was said to have delighted the congregation.
“We are so blessed at Hillview. The school program was such an uplifting one,” Ms Fedorow said. “The whole school is bathed in prayer and has such a spiritual focus that we can be proud to belong to such a school system.”
Pastor Ashley Smith, general manager of mission for Seventh-day Adventist Schools (North New South Wales), delivered a sermon on the importance of Christian education.
“The reason for the Toronto Seventh-day Adventist School is Jesus,” Pastor Smith said. “Jesus must be at the centre of all our academic, physical, social and musical programs. He is the foundation upon which we build everything. Education in the highest sense is redemptive at its heart . . . Contentment is not found in who you are, but whose you are.”
